For many years, people have cared for wounds or other skin insults using absorbent bandages as coverings. It is well-documented ("Epidermal Wound Healing", H. I. Maibach, D. T. Rovee, editors, YearBook Medical Publishers, Inc. 1972) that wounds heal faster when covered and kept moist while being protected from additional abrasion and exposure.
In order to protect the wound further from becoming infected, some individuals apply antiseptic or antibiotic agents to the wound prior to bandaging. These medicinal agents may be applied in the form of a liquid, or a water-in-oil emulsion such as an ointment or cream. However, these formulations tend to run, in the case of liquids, or ooze out from under the bandage. Thus, maintaining the position of the medicinal agent in close proximity to the wound in order to impart medicinal activity to the wound is quite difficult. It would be desirable for such consumers to be able to apply a medicament which will not migrate from the wound, i.e., a "structured" dressing.
This object, however, is quite difficult to achieve. For example, many of the ointments used in antiseptic and antibiotic formulations are petroleum-based. However, by their nature, ointments, particularly ointments based on petrolatum, flow fairly easily. Consumers feel comfortable using such petrolatum-based products and are accustomed to the sensation of wearing the ointment in conjunction with adhesive bandages. Thus, any attempt at creating a stable, "structured" base for medicinal application should have an ointment "feel".
Many individuals apply adhesive bandages to their smaller cuts and abrasions. Similarly, they apply gauze or other types of coverings to larger skin wounds. It would be highly desirable for such wound-coverings to have, incorporated within their structures, medicinal agents to combat wound infection. This would afford consumers a great convenience. Conventional ointments and petrolatum-based formulations tend to be too runny and messy for incorporation with a wound-covering material.
Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide a structured material which can serve as a base for maintaining a covering over a wound.
It is another object of this invention to provide a structured material which can serve as a base for maintaining an occlusive covering over a wound.
It is another object of this invention to provide a wound dressing having an antibiotic or antiseptic agent incorporated in its structure.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide a structured material which can serve as a base for applying medicaments to a wound.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a pressure sensitive adhesive coated material which can serve as a base for maintaining in place the structured wound dressing.
A further object of this invention is to provide a structured material for use in a wound-dressing that has an ointment-like feel but which retains its position over a wound without flowing.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide a structured material for use in a wound-dressing that adheres to intact skin yet easily releases from an open wound without retraumatizing the wound.
Additional objects will become evident in the ensuing description of the invention.